Panel discussion with the International Refugee Assistance Project, the Tibetan Association of Minnesota, Isuroon, the Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota and the Minnesota Council for Churches about refugee resettlement, legal challenges facing refugees and asylum-seekers, and key community issues. RSVP here to attend the panel discussion.

Juneteenth, Somali Independence Day and Twin Cities Pride among community events this June

The Neighborhood and Community Relations Department regularly coordinates City attendance at major community events. This year, the We Count census complete count campaign will also be sharing important census information. Join us at any of these events throughout June.

On June 22 and 23, join NCR and other City departments for the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Loring Park for a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Stop by for food, music, activities and community resources.

Somali Independence Day, June 29

June 29 will kick off the 2019 Somali week in Minneapolis. During the week, there will be a street festival, soccer tournament, movie screenings and family activities. Annually, about 40,000 Minnesotans attend.

From the organizers: "Art Heals brings queer and trans youth together with local queer and trans community artists to celebrate the healing power of expression...RECLAIM supports queer and trans youth to tell their stories in ways that make them stronger, and build our community resilience! These are the stories that connect us to each other, inspire us, and fuel our change-making work as healers, artists, and activists in community."

Since 2013, the City of Minneapolis Homeowner Navigator Program (HNP) has assisted low-income seniors, veterans, and disabled homeowners to address open housing orders, deferred property maintenance and in-home safety hazards using a variety of community resources. To do this, the City partners with community groups, government, nonprofit organizations and homeowners to remedy housing violations and safety issues. In the last two years, HNP has served nearly 200 homeowners across the city.

This spring, HNP and NCR staff in partnership with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity worked together to create a pilot Homeowner Navigator Grant Program funded by neighborhood organizations. The fund will provide grants of up to $3,000 for emergency mechanical systems, other emergency situations and gap funding for larger projects where nonprofits are willing to help but require a partial contribution and the homeowner does not have the resources to contribute. These grants will only be used when all other existing resources have been exhausted.

To qualify, a homeowner will need to be a participant in the HNP program. The goal is to help vulnerable Minneapolis residents stay safely in their communities and in their most affordable housing option – their current home.

So far, neighborhood organizations in Sheridan, Linden Hills and Lowry Hill have committed NRP funds towards the Homeowner Navigation Grant Program. Several other neighborhood organizations are looking at supporting this program, but additional funds are still needed.

Minimum wage increases on July 1 in Minneapolis

On July 1, the minimum wage in Minneapolis is going up to $11 for small employers (less than 100 employees) and $12.25 for large employers (over 100 employees). Tips and gratuities do not count toward payment of a minimum wage.

The City’s Department of Civil Rights oversees the enforcement of the municipal minimum wage, and workers are encouraged to report violations online. The City has received 28 reports of minimum wage violations to date, and employees have received over $21,000 in back wages and penalties.

Neighborhoods 2020 Directives from City Council

The Minneapolis City Council took action on the proposed Neighborhoods 2020 framework on May 17, which passed along with two staff directives. You can find City Council's final actions on the framework at minneapolismn.gov/ncr/2020.

In one staff directive, City staff were instructed to conduct an enterprise-wide evaluation of community engagement efforts and develop a work plan and timeline for adopting a citywide community engagement policy.

In the other, staff were directed to work with a consultant or consultants to continue conversations with neighborhoods and the community on program guidelines and metrics for the Neighborhoods 2020 framework. Staff were directed to continue to ensure that racial equity remains at the core of the work during this process.

NCR's immediate next step is to begin developing the scopes of work necessary to contract with a consultant or consultants. Read more...

A 45-day comment period, ending July 25, is currently in effect on a proposed change to the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) neighborhood plan modification approval process. The redlined NRP policy document found here shows the proposed change.

Currently, the NCR Department Director has sole discretion to approve or deny these requests from neighborhood organizations to modify plans. The proposed policy change would:

Require plan modifications over $100,000 to have the approval of the NRP Policy Board;

Allow plan modifications $100,000 and under to be administratively approved by the NCR Department Director;

Minneapolis Connects is published by the City of Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Relations department (NCR). If you have stories or community events that should be included in next month's edition, email rebekah.tedrick-moutz@minneapolismn.gov.

For questions, accommodations or alternative formats, please contact Neighborhood and Community Relations at 612-673-3737 or email us at ncr@minneapolismn.gov. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 agents at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.